Kildare team v Derry

I honestly think Tomas O Connor should start. We will have a lot of ball and if utilise the height and the catching ability of Tomas we could win a lot of ball in the air and get a lot of scores from it. Id drop Eoghan o Flats and put Rolly Sweeney into the half forward line. Either from that I dont think any other changes are needed.

Thoughts?

I would say we don't get enough scores from hitting it into the full forward,it looks great and no doubt tomás has great hands but the success rate from it is not good enough.

Also presumably most will want smith to start as well... do we drop two forwards?

I would start the same team but this time we will have to use smith at some stage.
Tomás o'c is an option if we need to change how we are playing.

Nah I disagree don't think O'Connor has shown enough, one catch against Leitrim to lead to the goal all right, but ball will be harder caught against Derry. He played full-forward for a long time under Crofton and it didn't work. Maybe try it in the league next year or use it as an option if things are going wrong, but too big a risk to build a gameplan around this tactic.

Derry were vulnerable under the high ball against Westmeath by all accounts. Martin Flanagan is supposed to have caused them all sorts of bother. O'Connor should definitely be considered if Smith isn't deemed fit enough to start. He was very young when he played there under Nolan and Crofton - when we played Sligo in '05 under Nolan it was his first year out of minor.

Ah Ohtoohtobe - surely you can't judge O'Connor on his time under Crofton/Nolan ... he was just a kid then. He has bulked up something unreal in the last two years and has the leap of a salmon now as well.
If Derry struggled with Flanagan - O'Connor could have a field day.

Kickingkick - that would have made him 18 in 2005. Is he really only 23 now? I would have thought he was 25/26?

Must be Flourman. He played wing-back on the minor team that reached the Leinster Final in '04 and lost to Kerry in the quarters down in Limerick. He came on at half-time in the '05 qualifier up in Sligo.

Must say I don't really remember him played U21 football - or did he?

Definatley think that Oconner should play . Hes tall and strong lad so he'll be goos for the high ball. Also any news on Smith? Is he available to play? HE is a good goal poacher, one that we havent had in a while so if he is available Geezer should start him too.

Geezer usually stays loyal to the lads that have their place. I can't seen any changes apart from Smith if he is fit for Saturday. O' Connor is a good weapon to bring on if you need to change things.

The bench has certainly improved over the last couple of games and still we have Mikey Conway out and Rob Kelly. Get over this game and anything is possible.

flourman wrote:

Must say I don't really remember him played U21 football - or did he?

I think he played on the '05 team that was beaten in an u21 final replay against the Dubs in Croke Park - Kavanagh, Conway, Paudie, Foley, Scanlon, Glavin, the Lonergans and Hugh Lynch were also on that team.

In '06 he was on the u21s that beat both Dublin and Meath but somehow managed to lose to Longford in Newbridge (similar story to our minors this year!).

Kildare - S McCormack; C Fadian, E Naughton, I Lonergan; M Scanlon, R Glavin, E Bolton; J Kavanagh, R Kelly; T O'Connor, R Dunne, G White; A Smyth, P O'Neill, M O'Sullivan. Subs: K Kelly for Dunne (47), D Brennan for Lonergan (50), P Golden for O'Connor (55)

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/dempseys-switches-pay-off-for-longford-128214.html

I also found the minor team that played Kerry in 2004 and O'Connor was indeed at wing-back:

Kildare: J Kindregen; D McEvoy, K Healy, I Lonergan; T O’Connor, J Creighton, D Brennan; P O’Neill (0-2), G White; B Bell, A Smith, C Kelly (0-1); M Conway (0- 4, 0-2 frees), C Hughes (0-2), P Dunne (0-1). Subs: M O’Sullivan (1-0) for A Smith,B Coyle for K Healy, L Heavins for J Creighton.

http://archives.tcm.ie/thekingdom/2004/08/05/story14320.asp

He did play under 21, came on in the 2005 U21 Leinster final replay at midfield and did very well.
I'm not judging him on the Crofton era as such, just saying he is unproven at this level and needs more gametime before we decide he's good enough to build our gameplan around him for a vital knockout game.
Personally I would see him more as a midfield option, he lacks the finishing ability to be a successful full-forward in the Donaghy/Clarke mould. Look at the near open goal he missed against Antrim.
Good player though, and hope he makes a go of it after a hard time with injury. Just saying I wouldn't start him full-forward on Saturday.

flourman wrote:

Ah Ohtoohtobe - surely you can't judge O'Connor on his time under Crofton/Nolan ... he was just a kid then. He has bulked up something unreal in the last two years and has the leap of a salmon now as well.
If Derry struggled with Flanagan - O'Connor could have a field day.

Hold on, you're comparing Martin Flanagan and Tomás O'Connor?! Tomás hasn't 10% of Flanagan's football. What he does have is a mighty leap, even more than a mighty pair of hands. Not in a month of Sundays could he kick points over his head, or score a goal like Flanagan got against Louth in the Leinster semi-final. He wouldn't be a great point kicker from in front of the posts even.

I'd agree that he is a man to be brought in to change things around. I could not see him as a starter unless he does more than catch one ball. And if he does, by all means. Certainly, in all the county and club football I've seen him play, there hasn't been the end product. He held his head well Saturday night and I hope there's plenty more to come but for now, he's best utilised as a sub.

There is only one possible change to my mind and that's Smithy for Flats Óg

I would like to see the following team;
Flood
Kelly, McCrillen, Mac
Flats, Bolton, Chalky
Flynn, Earley
JD, P O'Neill, Roli
Leper, O'Connor, Smithy

Troll away...................

good team stonecold

2 questions
1: Is Dermo Ok seemed to be limping coming off the other night and ran out of steam
2: Is Smithy fit ?? - would like to see him come off the bench give young flats another shot?

Its a pity Eoghan wasn't available for the league because I don't doubt his potential but there is something amiss and I can't put my finger on it.

think kildare will win,not bye much,this team as more to ofter

No James Kavanagh Stonecold?

kickingking wrote:

No James Kavanagh Stonecold?

Nope, I'd say he had about a 40-50% return last Saturday from the amount of possession that came his way (and thats when the pressure was off). You can get away with that against teams like Leitrim or Antrim but it's not good enough for what lies ahead.

While the type of football played by Derry doesn't suit Kildare I still think we can beat them but we must get the ball in quick to the forwards. If we hold up the ball like we've been doing at times we will be playing into their hands and will come off second best.

As regards the team I wouldn't have Eoghan Flats on it as he was very disappointing in the two matches I saw him play. I would start Smitty in as full forward if he is fit and Roli at number 12, other than that I would make no changes.

I am a bit worried though about Dermot in midfield as he is struggling there and is not able to follow his man when he gets past him. However if Daryll and Leper keep playing to the level they're at I'd be hopeful they would make up for Dermot's lack of pace.

So here's hoping for a win by maybe two or three points.

Stonecold wrote:

Its a pity Eoghan wasn't available for the league because I don't doubt his potential but there is something amiss and I can't put my finger on it.

Could be wrong but i think he is still playing at club football speed.Its a bit like Keith Cribben when he made his championship debut against Wicklow.I remember the first ball he went for on the cusack sideline.he got to the ball first but slowed down and the next thing he knew he was on his ass over the sideline.You hit the nail on the head when you said if he had played during the league he would be up to speed by now.One good smack will get him going

Fergal Doherty not playing will be a huge help

Stonecold wrote:

kickingking wrote:

No James Kavanagh Stonecold?

Nope, I'd say he had about a 40-50% return last Saturday from the amount of possession that came his way (and thats when the pressure was off). You can get away with that against teams like Leitrim or Antrim but it's not good enough for what lies ahead.

You've finally lost the plot.

marty duffy is referee for match

fone wrote:

marty duffy is referee for match

GREAT!!! Could a been worse i suppose,could have been sludden.

Any word on Earley?